Jones ready for Glamorgan return

By Richard Thomas

Simon Jones has not discounted a return to playing County Championship cricket this season.

The former England bowling star was re-signed by Glamorgan from Hampshire in the winter on a two-year contract but primarily as a one-day bowler. That was after Hampshire loaned him out for the Friends Provident t20 in 2011.

The 33-year-old is expected to make his first Glamorgan appearance against his old county in their opening CB40 match of the season at the Rose Bowl on Bank Holiday Monday.

But if he comes through that unscathed and keeps fit during May and June there could be a possibility of Jones thinking about donning the whites again.

“The way the body is feeling I might consider four-day cricket,” said Jones, who made one Championship appearance for Hampshire last summer.

“But at the end of the day it’s not the bowling that gets me in Championship cricket it’s the standing around.

“After a day in the field I get, what I call, Christmas shopping legs, the tiredness in the legs you get when the missus is charging around the shops.

“I don’t want to tempt fate. We’ll just see how it goes, but I love bowling with the red ball. That’s when you see how good cricketers are. That’s the biggest test.

“But primarily I’m here for the one-dayers but if I’m feeling good I might have a go. I’d never say never.”

He has spent pre-season and the last month building up his strength in the nets and is now ready for a one-day outing.

“I’m absolutely fine. The ball is coming out well and I’m just looking forward to getting out on the pitch," added Jones.

“You can’t replicate match time. Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to play any four-day stuff so I haven’t had a chance to get on the park.

“But I have played the game long enough to know my body and be able to cope with it. I’ve done enough bowling in the nets to know the skills are working.

“It’s been a long month but I have done everything I can I’ve been working hard with Rob Ahmun (Glamorgan fitness coach),” said Jones.

“I’m looking forward to Monday. Obviously it’s one of those things going back to Hampshire but I’m a Glamorgan player no and I’m really looking forward to it.

“We haven’t had a great start to the four-day game but hopefully we will be able to kick on in the one-day stuff, beat Hampshire and that will start the ball rolling.

“We then go to Scotland the following Sunday and they are a team we are looking to beat and beat well.

“Despite the bad start to the Championship the boys are still upbeat in the changing room which is good. You have to take the positives and work hard and realise the results will come.”

Date: 04/05/2012 20:15:08 by MBaldwin
In: Today | Glamorgan |